FACTORIES ACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26633, 2 December 1947, Page 9

FACTORIES ACT

BENEFITS WITHHELD FROM PUBLIC SERVANTS CHARGE BY ASSOCIATION F.A. WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. News of the proceedings now being taken by railway employee organisations to obtain from the Railways Tribunal certain benefits of the. Factories Act underlines the fact that a most unsatisfactory position exists as to the application of the benefits of this Act to the public service, said Mr J. P. Lewin, president of the Public Service Association, to-day. The association in 1946 succeeded in inducing the Government to amend the Act to bind the Crown, said Mr Lewin, but the Public Service Commission had not yet seen fit to put the Legislature’s decision into effect, and, as far as ascertained, those parts of the service affected had not been registered as required by the A.ct “ Nor have the overtime and penal rates laid down by the Act yet been paid to the employees affected,” Mr Lewin said. “My association is at present considering the action to be taken to obtain full retrospective settlement of the legal claims.” Mr Lewin said that the provision of the Factories Act, though well ahead of public service practice, were far behind the present industrial .practice laid down by awards and agreements and that the association had presented claims based on the latter. Absolutely no progress had been made with the commission, which excused itself on the grounds that the matter involves major policy considerations and was one for the Government. . Mr Lewin said the principles of prior association and conciliation adopted in railways discusisons was not available to public servants firmer the commission, which declined to negotiate on terms of equality with the association. “The only hopes of settlement are by approach to the Government or, as in the Factories Act, by an issue to the courts, added Mr ’ Lewin.